Propelling and steering steamboats



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. EVANS. PROPELLING AND STEERING STEAMBQATS. No. 545,950. PatentedSept. 10,1895.

2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.) I I I C. EVANS.

r i PROPE'LLING AND STEERING STBAMBOATS.

No. 545,950. Patented Sept. 10,1895.

' stern-Wheel steamboats, such as are com- NITED I STATES Q ATENI FFIQEIPROPELLING AND STEERING STEAMBOATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,950, datedSeptember 10, 1895. Application filed September 22, 1894. Serial No.523,772. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES EVANS, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propellin g andSteering Steamboats; and I hereby declare the following specificationand the drawings therewith to be a complete description of myimprovements.

My invention relates to what are called monly employed in narrow rivers,sloughs, and bayous for transportation purposes.

My invention consists of acylindrical platform set flush with the maindeck,its rim conforming to the contour of the vessels stern and capableof partial revolution on its axis, and in mounting on this platform, soas to be approximatelybalanced across its axis, a sternwheel andpropelling-engines, so arranged that the platform, although formingaportion of the deck and floor of the engine-room, can be turned so thethrust of the wheel will fall oblique to the axis or course of the boat.

The object of my invention is to perform the function of steering bymeans of the position and thrust of the wheel, dispensing with rudders;also, to attain lateral force and movement of the stern of the boat whenthere is little or no headway, or in any case, by the angular thrust orpull of the wheel as it may be turned forward or backward or is setdiagonal to the axis of the boat.

In navigating narrow sinuous streams, Where the speed of a vessel is tooslow to permit the action of rudders to direct the course, suchnavigation becomes slow, tedious, and dangerous, the wanting elementbeing some power or force to swing the boat when there is no headway;also powerful means of guiding the course of the boat in crooked places,so as to permit headway and to save time. The common method of employingrudders is inadequate for such functions, their action being contingentupon the speed of progression through the water and falls off or failsaltogether just at the time when most required.

With my improvements the thrust of the wheel performs the requiredfunctions without much departing from the usual construction ofsteamboats or occupying space upon the main deck, as will now beexplained.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view on the after-deck ofa steamboat arranged according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a detailshowing the throttle-valve and swivel-joint in the steam-pipe leading tothe engines. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown inFig. 1. Y

The wheel A and all of its connected parts are mounted on timbers orgirders B, projecting out from and supported by a swiveling platform C.This platform G extends nearly the whole width of the boat D andsustains the engines E E, with all their attendant defails, as shown inthe drawings. The platform C is guided and sustained laterally by anaxis at F, and is supported vertically on a series of rollers a, rollingon a circular way beneath, the rollers a being mounted on the struts eor in any other suitable manner. Lateral supports can also be providedor supplemented by means of rollers; but as strain in this direction isonly that of propulsion the central axis at F is sufficient.

Steam is conveyed to the engine-valve boxes G G2 by the pipes H H andfrom the boiler by a pipe H these pipes all being attached to aswiveling chamber I, preferably supported on the deck overhead andhaving its axis concentric with that of the platform 0 atF. The chamberI also contains a throttling-valve V.

The exhaust-pipes J J of the engines G G2 extend down beneath theplatform 0 and are connected to a swiveling chamber below and concentricwith the axis F, a waste-pipe from there conducting the steam to acondenser or to the atmosphere. The rotary or swiveling movement of theplatform 0, with the engines and Wheel mounted thereon, is controlledfrom the pilot-house, power being provided by steam, air, or hydraulicapparatus in the usual manner of steam or other power steering-gear.

In the drawings I have shown a tooth-pinion K, meshing into a toothedsectorL on the periphery of the platform 0. Reducing-gearing isindicated by the dotted circles M and N.

In an arrangement of this kind two small steam-engines set diagonally onthe lines 0 O, turning the shaft P and pinion N; would constitute asuitable gearing; but as suchmechanism does not form a part of myinvention and can be modified in various Ways, such as is common inoperating tillers, no further description will be required here.

The turning or steering mechanism to revolve the platform 0 can becontrolled from the pilot-house or in any other suitable manner so theline of thrust will fall on the lines Q, or R or any intermediate pointbetween these and the central or normal position. (Shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings.)

Sliding bulk-heads S S are provided to inclose the engine-room, and aplatform T extends out on each side of the wheel A to permit access tothe cranks eccentrics and main bearings of the wheel-shaftin the usualmanner.

I am aware that propelling-instruments,

such as screws, have been arranged to swivel,

so their axis could be set diagonal to the line or axis of a vessel bymeans of swivel-joints in the propelling-shafts; also thatpropellingwheels have been arranged to swivel, so as to perform thefunction of steering. This I do not claim, broadly; but

VVhatI do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a stern-wheel steamboat, a pairof steam engines and a propellingwheel, mountedon a swiveling platform in the manner described, thisplatform extending across the main deck and surrounded at the rear sideby a bulkhead that extends around and moves with the platform, so as toinclose the engines and engine room, substantially as and in the mannerdescribed.

2. In a stern-wheel steamboat, a swiveling platform pivotedconcentrically with the run or stern curves of the vessel, provided witha movable bulkhead inc'losing the rear of the engine room, so the latterwith the engines and propelling wheel can be turned to difi'erent anglesby means of steering gearing, in the manner substantially as described.

3. In a stern-wheel steamboat, a pivoted platform flush with the maindeck at the stern of the boat, a paddle wheel mounted on girdersextending outfrom the platform; the latter made wide enough to receivethe impelling engines outside or beyond the girders on which the wheelis supported, in the manner substantially and for the purposesspecified.

4. In a stern-wheel steamboat, a swiveling circular platform mounted onthe rear of a vessel flush with the main deck, and provided without-board girders, the propelling wheel supported in said girders, thebulkhead inclosing the rear of the engine room, and a run- Way aroundthe wheel placed outside the girders, substantially as described.

5. In a stern-wheel steamboat, the combination of a revoluble platform,set flush with and forming a part of the main deck, a propelling wheelsupported on girders extending CHARLES EVANS.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. ENQUIST, WILSON D. BENT, Jr.

